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Government closures are a repeat feature of US politics – but this one feels particularly intractable due to shifting political forces along with deep-seated animosity between both major parties.

Some government services are temporarily suspended, and about 750,000 employees likely to be placed on unpaid leave as both political parties remain unable to reach consensus on a spending bill.

Votes aimed at ending the impasse continue to fall short, with little visibility on an off-ramp this time because both parties – including the nation's leader – perceive advantages in maintaining their positions.

These are the four ways in which this shutdown distinct currently.

1. For Democrats, it's about Trump – beyond healthcare issues

Democratic supporters has been demanding for months that their party more forcefully fights the Trump administration. Currently Democratic leaders has a chance to demonstrate their responsiveness.

Earlier this year, Senate leader was fiercely criticised after supporting GOP budget legislation and averting a shutdown early this year. This time he's digging in.

This presents an opportunity for the Democratic party to show their ability to reclaim certain authority from a presidency that has moved aggressively on its agenda.

Refusing to back the GOP budget proposal carries electoral dangers as citizens generally will grow frustrated with prolonged negotiations and impacts accumulate.

The Democrats are using the budget standoff to put a spotlight on expiring health insurance subsidies together with Republican-approved federal health program reductions affecting low-income populations, which are both unpopular.

Additionally, they're attempting to restrict executive utilization of his executive powers to cancel or delay funding authorized legislatively, a practice demonstrated with foreign aid and other programmes.

2. For Republicans, it's an opportunity

The administration leader along with a senior aide have openly indicated their perspective that they perceive an opening to make more of the cutbacks in government employment that have featured the current presidential term so far.

The President himself stated recently that the shutdown provided him with a "unique chance", and that he would look to cut "Democrat agencies".

The White House said it would be left with the "unenviable task" involving significant workforce reductions to maintain critical federal operations if the shutdown continued. The Press Secretary described this as "fiscal sanity".

The extent of possible job cuts remains unclear, but the White House has been in discussions with the Office of Management and Budget, the budgeting office, which is headed by the key official.

The budget director has already announced the halting of government financial support for Democratic-run parts the opposition party, such as NYC and Illinois' largest city.

Third, Trust Is Lacking on either side

Whereas past government closures have been characterised by extended negotiations among political opponents aimed at restoring federal operations, currently there seems little of the same spirit of collaboration this time.

Conversely, animosity prevails. Political tensions persisted recently, with Republicans and Democrats exchanging accusations for causing the impasse.

House Speaker from the majority party, accused Democrats with insufficient commitment about negotiating, and maintaining positions over a deal "for electoral protection".

Meanwhile, the opposition's chief made similar charges at the other side, stating how a Republican promise regarding health funding talks once the government reopens cannot be trusted.

The President himself has escalated tensions by posting a computer-created controversial depiction of the Senate leader along with another senior opposition figure, where the representative is depicted with traditional headwear and facial hair.

The affected legislator with party colleagues denounced this as discriminatory, a characterization rejected by the administration's second-in-command.

Fourth, The American Economy faces vulnerability

Analysts expect about 40% of the federal workforce – more than 800,000 people – to face furlough due to the shutdown.

This will reduce consumer expenditure – and also have wider ramifications, as environmental permitting, delayed intellectual property processing, interrupted vendor payments along with various forms of federal operations connected to commercial interests cease functioning.

The closure additionally introduces fresh instability within economic systems currently experiencing disruption from multiple factors including trade measures, earlier cuts to government spending, enforcement actions and technological advancements.

Analysts estimate potential reduction of as much as 0.2 percentage points off US economic growth weekly during the closure.

But the economy typically recoups the majority of interrupted operations after a shutdown ends, as it would after disruption caused by a natural disaster.

This might explain partially why the stock market has appeared largely unfazed by the current stand-off.

On the other hand, analysts say that if the President carries out proposed significant workforce reductions, economic harm might become more long-lasting.